Guru Viking Podcast

In this interview I am once again joined by Ralph White holistic learning pioneer, international speaker on cultural transformation and the history of the Western esoteric tradition, and co-founder of the New York Open Centre. Ralph recounts his clandestine mission into Tibet in 1989 on behalf of the Nechung Oracle: hiking solo across the border, evading commissars, escaping from bandit villages, enlisting the aid of Khampa horsemen, and encountering a UFO high in the Himalayas. Ralph recalls founding the Art of Dying Conference, reflects on his own relationship with his father, and describes the religious genius of Rudolf Steiner on death and what lies beyond. Ralph also discusses the Western Esoteric tradition, tells stories of Robert Bly’s Rosicrucian poetry, and critiques logical positivism and the limitations of academia. … Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep202-mission-to-tibet-ralph-white 
Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics Include:
 00:00 - Intro 01:44 - Arriving at Nechung Monastery, Dharamsala 03:17 - Mission into Tibet 05:11 - Finding a secret route into Tibet via Kham 10:07 - Aftermath of Tiananmen Square 12:06 - High risk adventure 13:04 - Ralph’s daily routine in the mountains 16:34 - Encountering a UFO 20:23 - Evading a Chinese commissar 21:46 - Escaping a bandit village 23:56 - Entering into deep meditation in a crisis 27:12 - Old enough to know better 28:32 - Provisions 29:48 - Further travels in Asia 35:03 - Reflections on the UFO sighting 37:33 - Founding the Art of Dying Conference 43:17 - Rudolph Steiner on karma and reincarnation 44:45 - Multi-cultural views on death 46:19 - Death denial in Western culture 51:21 - The death of Ralph’s father 57:16 - Dealing with emotional residue 01:01:22 - Engaging with the profound issues of life 01:02:29 - Logical positivism and the limitations of academia 01:04:39 - Rudolf Steiner’s genius 01:07:00 - Advice for entering the Western Esoteric tradition 01:10:34 - Founding the Esoteric Quest conference 01:11:32 - Robert Bly’s Rosicrucian poetry 01:12:54 - The rogue’s gallery 01:14:08 - The esoteric side of Robert Bly … Previous episode with Ralph White: - https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep140-quest-for-a-life-of-meaning-ralph-white To find out more about Ralph White, visit: - https://www.ralphwhite.net/ … 
For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - www.guruviking.com … Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

Special guests Delson Armstrong and Dr Ruben Laukkonen discuss their latest ground-breaking paper ‘Cessations of consciousness in meditation: Advancing a scientific understanding of nirodha samāpatti’ in which Delson Armstrong’s ability to enter the rarefied state of nirodha samāpatti, a feat of extended cessation achievable by only the most virtuoso meditators, was tested by Dr Laukkonen and Prof Slatger's neuroscience team with astonishing results. They join the ongoing discussion with: - Shinzen Young, meditation teacher and neuroscience research consultant - Chelsey Fasano, a Columbia University neuroscience graduate
 Delson and Dr Laukkonen tell the story of their study, how it came to be, the various tests they administered, and why they believe the results are so remarkable. Delson describes the meditation method he uses to enter into the state of nirodha samāpatti and to stay there for up to seven days, how he can determine in advance to the minute when he will exit the state, and the profound effects on the mind after a period of extended cessation. Shinzen analyses Delson’s abilities, probes the mathematical models used in the study, and shares his own work creating enlightened AI arhats. The panel also discuss possible scientific connections between Buddhist doctrines such as the five aggregates, dependent origination, and the 3 Gates of Liberation. … Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep201-revealing-nirodha-sampatti-delson-armstrong-shinzen-young-chelsey-fasano-dr-ruben-laukonnen Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’.
 … Topics Include: 00:00 - Intro 01:37 - Discovering Delson’s nirodha samāpatti abilities 05:21 - Dr Laukkonen's skepticism 06:48 - Testing Delson in the lab 11:05 - The data analysis and comparison with Harvard lab findings 15:12 - Implications of the decrease in alpha synchronisation 16:47 - Phase lag index 19:08 - Alpha vs gamma frequencies in contemplative neuroscience 20:57 - Delson’s side of the story 23:37 - Rigorous training in ‘jhana hopping’ 25:42 - Delson’s account of the lab tests 28:26 - Timing the exit from jhana using meditative intentions 29:45 - Remaining in nirodhia samāpatti for 6 days 30:51 - How many others can do this? 34:02 - How to enter nirodha samāpatti 46:06 - Shinzen analyses Delson’s report 40:05 - Dr Laukkonen comments on the aggregates and meditative intention 42:50 - Possible links to hibernation 47:40 - The 3 Gates of Liberation and Friston’s free energy 53:25 - Predictive processing all the way down 56:55 - Similarities to St Teresa of Ávila’s stages of Catholic meditation 01:01:13 - Delson’s Catholic family and religious syncretism 01:03:24 - Conseqences of nirodhia samāpatti 01:05:34 - Pratītyasamutpāda for arhats 01:09:05 - The ego as a survival mechanism 01:11:31 - Networks and the multiverse 01:13:53 - John Carlos Baez’s mathematics and modelling pratītyasamutpāda 01:22:28 - Creating enlightened AI 01:32:30 - Creating AI arhats and Shinzen’s vision 01:37:49 - Neurofeedback devices for meditation teaching 01:43:02 - Dr Laukkonen challenges tech interventions aimed at inducing enlightenment 01:46:36 - Setting up the sequel … To read the paper, visit: - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0079612322001984?dgcid=author#t0010 Previous episodes in this series: - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlkzlKFgdknxjhwG5wmXRVfrkeGczVPVI Previous episodes with Delson Armstrong: - https://www.guruviking.com/search?q=delson To find out more about Delson Armstrong, visit: - https://delsonarmstrong.info/ - https://www.suttavada.foundation/our-teachers/ - https://www.dhammasukha.org/ To find out more about Dr Ruben Laukkonen, visit: - https://rubenlaukkonen.com/ To find out more about Shinzen Young: - www.shinzen.org To find out more about Chelsey Fasano: - www.chelseyfasano.com For more interviews: - www.guruviking.com Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

In this episode I am joined by Professor John Myrdhin Reynolds, also known as Lama Vajranatha: writer, teacher, translator and scholar/practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism.  Professor Reynolds recounts his adventurous life of practice and scholarship, including extensive travels throughout Asia and discipleship under revered gurus such as Dudjom Rinpoche, Namkai Norbu, and Lopon Tenzin Namdak. Professor Reynolds details his journey through American academia, explains why he turned down an invitation from the CIA to create Tibetan propaganda, and shares anecdotes of Tibetologists such as Hugh Richardson and Edward Conze, including the latter’s escape from the Nazis and defection from Communist activism. Professor Reynolds also recalls his first out of body experience brought on by a car crash, the mystical visions of water spirits, dakinis, and other beings that have featured in his life since, and tells the story of the tragic consequences of the Gelugpa destruction of the psychic barrier erected by Padmasambhava to protect Tibet from China. … Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep200-lama-vajranatha-professor-john-myrdhin-reynolds 
Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics Include: 00:00 - Intro 01:16 - Unusual upbringing and resonance with Greek myth 05:01 - Early interest in Indian religion 07:27 - Encountering the ‘Tibetan Book of the Dead’ 09:46 - Education at Columbia University 10:50 - Western Esotericism and transfer to University of Washington 13:10 - Influence of the British Diplomat and Tibetologist, Hugh Richardson 14:20 - Close relationship with the controversial Professor Edward Conze 16:31 - Escaping the Nazis and running a Communist cell in London 19:29 - Disillusionment with Communism 23:17 - Approached by the CIA to make Tibetan propaganda 28:42 - Leaving his PhD and meeting Tarthang Tulku 33:11 - Boarding a ship for India and meeting Swami Omkar 43:11 - Darjeeling and meeting Kangyur Rinpoche, Dudjom Rinpoche, and others 48:00 - Adventures in Kathmandu 57:49 - Warning about Dharma politics 59:03 - Stories about Namkhai Norbu and other Dzogchen teachers 01:06:19 - Dudjom Rinpoche vs Namkai Norbu’s Dzogchen teaching style 01:07:54 - Surprising Iranian influence on Buddhism and Tibet 01:10:23 - Lopon Tenzin Namdak and Bon 01:14:59 - OBE and a lifetime of psychic experiences and entity visions 01:19:49 - Dakini visionary warning about climate change 01:23:31 - Lama stories of psychic siddhi and the invasion of Tibet 01:27:24 - How to open psychic capacities 01:28:57 - Edward Conze’s Marxism and Buddhism 01:33:48 - Edward Conze’s Visuddhimagga meditation attainments 01:35:41 - Stalin, Buddhism, and Lama Wangyal 01:37:20 - Stories of Tibetan Buddhist missionary incursions into France 01:46:39 - Buddhism’s spread in England via figures such as Ananda Bodhi and Chogyam Trungpa 01:48:32 - The many scandals of Trungpa and his successors 01:49:41 - Dalai Lama tongue-sucking scandal … To find our more about Professor John Myrdhin Reynolds visit: - https://vajranatha.com/ For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - https://www.guruviking.com Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

Dr. Alexander Arguelles, a polyglot and scholar, shares his unique upbringing, language learning methods, and spiritual journey. He discusses deep immersion in language families, his mystical conversion to Catholicism, time as a Benedictine monk, and how language learning can be a profound spiritual path. Topics include family influences, struggles with language learning, and mastering multiple languages like Korean, French, and classical Chinese.

I host a dialogue between Buddhist lineage teacher Dhammarato and best selling author Dean Sluyter. Dhammarato and Dean compare their presentations of the four noble truths, the 8-fold path, and discuss why the right way to practice the meditative path is to take the easy way out. Dhammarato and Dean illuminate Shakespeare’s Macbeth and Hamlet, liken Dharma to the Boléro, and reveal why Henry David Thoreau was America’s first true yogi. Dhammarato and Dean also critique the Goenka and Mahasi methods, expose the #1 meditation mistake, and express why recognising the sacredness of all things is the end of suffering. … Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep198-dudes-of-dharma-dhammarato-dean-sluyter 
Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics Include: 00:00 - Intro 01:04 - Buddhism is the easy way out 03:43 - The practice of anapanasati 04:26 - Teaching assistant of meditation 05:26 - Fun and true nature 07:40 - Looking for love in all the wrong places 08:05 - Maharishi Mahesh yogi and Henry David Thoreau 10:05 - Dean’s presentation of the 4 Noble Truths 11:27 - Dhammarato’s presentation of the 4 Noble Truths 13:49 - Problems with Goenka and Mahasi methods 17:11 - What has worked in Dean’s practice 18:11 - Laziness vs scholarship 19:18 - Thoreau, America’s first real yogi 23:22 - Shakespeare’s Macbeth and turning the march into a waltz 25:35 - Boléro and changing you mental meter 28:26 - The art of conversation and true listening 31:32 - The sacredness of all things 34:53 - Living instinctually 38:48 - The #1 meditation mistake 41:55 - Stop running so hard 45:07 - Dodgeball Dharma 46:26 - Are Dhammarato and Dean outsiders? 51:49 - Liking and disliking, the lesson of Genesis and Hamlet 58:36 - The diet of Thai monks 01:01:25 -The Elf code 01:04:36 - Walking on holy ground 01:08:24 - Discussing death 01:11:51 - Dharma of Bugs Bunny … Previous Dhammarato Episodes: - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlkzlKFgdknyGISEfksirYaYpsrXdf8va 
 Previous Dean Sluyter Episodes: - https://www.guruviking.com/search?q=dean To find out more about Dhammarato, visit: - https://dhammaratoblog.wordpress.com/ - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjxg5GJFsRqnS-YLTzyrjLQ To find out more about Dean Sluyter, visit: - https://deansluyter.com/ … 
For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - www.guruviking.com … Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

In this episode I am joined by Dr Julian Schott, Indologist & Tibetologist, trained at institutions such as the renowned Center for the Study of Manuscript Culture at the University of Hamburg. Julian recalls his early interest in philosophy and meditation, and recounts how he emerged from a period of self destruction and found meaning and purpose in academic studies. Julian describes how he fell in love with classical Indic and Tibetan languages, and details the rigorous academic atmosphere at the University of Hamburg, where he immersed in years of reading Sanskrit for many hours a day under masters of philology. Julian makes the case for the vital importance of primary language competency for scholars and religious practitioners alike, and offers his opinion on those who practice or teach religious traditions without an ability to read its writings in the original languages. Julian critiques the idea of Buddhist transmission as a useful lie without historical support which is employed to encourage behaviour in line with the religion’s soteriological aims, and reflects on his own evolving journey as both a scholar and religious practitioner. … Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep197-scholar-practitioner-dr-julian-schott 
Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics Include: 00:00 - Intro 01:13 - Julian’s upbringing 02:27 - Origins of Julian’s interest in Indology and Tibetology 03:11 - Investigating meditation traditions 04:13 - Spiritual not religious 05:08 - Early meditation experiences 06:44 - Julian’s favourite meditation techniques 07:18 - Self destructive phase and turning life around 10:37 - The downward spiral 11:28 - Rock bottom 12:44 - The day is full of potential 13:14 - Immersion in the study of history, classical Western philosophy, law, and 14:58 - Falling in love with Indian and Tibetan language 17:04 - Redirecting from law to philology 17:47 - Discovering what real mastery takes 19:21 - Rigorous academic atmosphere at University of Hamburg 20:16 - Reading Sanskrit for 5-6 hours a day 23:46 - Self-teaching Classical Tibetan via Sanskrit 24:44 - How to bridge the intermediate gap in language learning 27:43 - The vital role of primary language knowledge in understanding a religion and culture 31:29 - The incredible level of previous generations of philologists and Indologists 32:29 - The diminishing role of primary language learning in the academy 34:51 - The limitations of not knowing the primary languages 37:17 - To meditators and religious teachers who don’t know the languages 42:05 - Julian’s own religious journey 43:39 - Scepticism vs naivety 44:37 - Liberated by the proliferating unknowns in practice and scholarship 46:54 - Friction with religious institutions 48:23 - Make your own Dharma 50:31 - Mistaken ideas about lineage and transmission in Buddhism 54:05 - The useful lie of Buddhist lineage 55:51 - Critically investigating Buddhist claims 57:42 - Challenging the esoteric claims of Tantric Buddhist transmission 01:00:56 - Surpassing the master and the Jedi dimension 01:05:53 - Julian probes Steve’s opinion on doctrinal contradictions 01:07:23 - Lack of self confidence and making your own Dharma 01:10:42 - Contradictions of modern Buddhist practitioners 01:12:34 - Was Buddha a Buddhist? … To find our more about Dr Julian Schott, visit: - https://www.aai.uni-hamburg.de/indtib/personen/schott.html For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - https://www.guruviking.com Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

In this episode I am joined by Justin Von Bujdoss, an American Buddhist teacher and chaplain. Justin recalls his upbringing in Soho, Manhattan as the son of a multi-generational family of painters, immersed in the New York art scene, attending a specialist high school, and engaging in study abroad programs across Europe and Asia. Justin recounts his childhood dreams of saints and spiritual masters, and his early fascination with Ancient Egypt and Western Occultism, which saw him transcribing magickal texts and engaging in rituals of evocation and divination. Justin explains why his conversion to Buddhism was inevitable, describes his meetings with great masters, and shares his passion for Vajrayogini practice and Mahamudra meditation.  Justin also reveals why conducting dark retreat and studying Ati Yoga under Dr Nida Chenagtsang has brought him to an experience of the nature of mind so powerful that he has departed from many of the views expressed in his book ‘Modern Tantric Buddhism’, as well as reduced his interest in propagating the Repa lineage in which he is ordained. … Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep196-modern-tantric-buddhism-justin-von-bujdoss 
Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics Include: 00:00 - Intro 01:10 - Upbringing in Soho, New York 03:35 - Intense childhood spiritual interest 05:28 - Fascination with Ancient Egypt and Western Occultism 09:20 - From Western Occultism to Vajrayana 10:11 - Magickal ritual practice 13:41 - Practical success with Ancient Egyptian magick 16:37 - Childhood dreams of mahasiddhas 18:26 - Past life visions of connections with Tibetan Buddhism and early Indian Tantra 22:11 - Comments on the tulku tradition 24:34 - Attending a specialised high school and Antioch college 27:43 - Travels to India, meeting masters, 32:42 - Affinity with India and Tibet and converting to Buddhism 37:45 - Why Justin did not learn Tibetan or Sanskrit 39:52 - Learning Mahamudra from Tsunma Dechen Zangmo 41:56 - Passion for Vajrayogini practice 44:10 - Learning how to practice and juggling multiple lineages 52:19 - Signs of progress in Justin’s practice 59:30 - Infantilisation of American students in Tibetan Buddhism 01:02:30 - Justin’s critique of the Tibetan Buddhist culture and tradition 01:04:38 - Learning culture vs getting enlightened 01:06:05 - Why Justin ordained as a Repa 01:13:36 - Moving away from the Repa lineage 01:17:44 - Ordaining to make a point 01:19:30- To whom was Justin making a point? 01:23:50 - Losing interest in importing Buddhism to the USA 01:25:45 - Learning Ati Yoga from Dr Nida Chenagtsang 01:28:45 - How experiencing the nature of mind revolutionised Justin’s religious life … To find our more about Justin Van Bujdoss, visit: - https://justinvonbujdoss.com/ For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - https://www.guruviking.com Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

In this episode I am once again joined by Morgan O Smith, teacher of non-duality, and under the stage name ‘Mista Mo’, was a stand-up comedian and host of the Gemini award winning television show ‘Buzz’. In this episode Morgan reflects on his creative journey and its clash with his spiritual awakenings. Morgan recounts his childhood creative impulses and traces his career from his first time on stage to national success. Morgan contemplates the pros and cons of fame and reveals the inner workings of TV marketing requirements. Morgan discusses the surprising engine of his creative process, how to make art from pain and socio-political strife, and why his spiritual awakenings disrupted his creative urge. Morgan explains how the urge to serve the community replaced the need for artistic success, how his friends and fans reacted to his change of direction, and how an immersion into sacred mathematics birthed the creation of his Yinnergy audio meditation program. … 
 Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep195-enlightened-comedian-morgan-o-smith-2 
Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics include: 00:00 - Intro 01:12 - Childhood fasciations 04:08 - Early creative impulses in music, art, and fashion 13:06 - Getting a recording contract in Rap and Hip Hop 15:04 - Discovering stand-up comedy 16:07 - Coming up with the name ‘Mista Mo’ 17:15 - First spot as a stand-up comedian 18:13 - Following Howie Mandel 19:09 - Honing the craft 20:03 - Support from Dave Chapelle 21:47 - Music activities 22:21 - Getting picked up by the Comedy Network 24:10 - Developing an original voice as a comedian 30:27 - Comedy from inner darkness and authenticity 32:22 - Run in with Russell Peters 33:27 - Making comedy from pain and racism 36:52 - The consequences of making art from darkness and pain 39:34 - Making comedy from taboo subjects and current events 45:18 - Struggles with fame 51:58 - Collaboration with Daryn Jones 55:09 - Financial ups and downs of the creative life 58:33 - ‘You’re here to sell soap’ 01:01:05 - Meditation interrupting the creative drive 01:05:24 - 3-day lucid dreaming experience 01:08:04 - Personality and motivation changes from meditation 01:11:14 - Desire to work in non-profit and work in the community 01:14:01 - Loss and rediscovery of creativity after awakening 01:17:19 - Criticisms from others for pursuing meditation 01:20:20 - A life-changing interaction with a fan 01:25:04 - Realisation of turiya 01:27:02 - Sacred mathematics and creating Yinnergy meditation program 01:39:58 - Psychedelics and channeled information 01:49:17 - Microdosing 01:50:33 - Developing Yinnergy further 01:53:52 - Ayahuasca 01:58:16 - Realising non-duality 02:02:56 - Kundalini awakening 02:06:30 - Final awakening, beyond non-duality 02:24:30 - Advice for creative people and spirituality … Previous episode with Morgan O Smith: - www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep176-the-awakening-of-mista-mo To find out more about Morgan O Smith, visit: - https://www.instagram.com/morgano.smith/ - https://linktr.ee/morganosmith For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - www.guruviking.com Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

In this episode I am once again joined by Dr Yannis Toussulis, Sufi lineage holder, psychotherapist, and author of ‘Sufism: The Way of Blame’. Dr Toussulis takes a deep dive into the practice and history of Sufism, including its historical interactions with Buddhism, Vedantism, Zoroastrianism, and posits a neoplatonic and Hellenic substructure underpinning Sufi mysticism. Dr Toussulis outlines the 4 phases of Sufism as a living practice, details its 7 stages of wisdom, and explains the role of bliss and tranquility in Sufi contemplation. Dr Toussulis also discusses the crucial role of the teacher, the importance of the circle of fellow practitioners, the role of ethics and direct experience, and why true Sufism must go beyond union with God as the ultimate end and purpose of the path. … Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep194-sufism-the-way-of-blame-dr-yannis-toussulis-2 
Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics Include: 00:00 - Intro 01:00 - Why the book? 03:04 - What is Sufism? 05:59 - What is the Way of Blame? 07:29 - Exoteric and esoteric Islam 10:45 - Influences from Christianity, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, and Buddhism 12:44 - Hellenism and the neoplatonic substructure of Sufism 14:02 - What is Neoplatonism? 15:37 - Nondualistic vs dualistic Sufism 21:31 - Evidence of Vedantic influence on Sufism 23:00 - Patanjali and other influence on Sufism 24:00 - Did Islam influence Medieval Christianity? 26:53 - The 4 phases of Sufism as a practice 29:59 - How to enter a school of Sufism 30:33 - Sufi meditative practices and states of direct cognition 33:26 - Sufism vs Buddhism and Advaita Vedanta 34:24 - Different approaches to morality in Sufism 36:52 - Application of the Sharia 38:47 - Sexual ethics in Islam 43:19 - Academic vs practice knowledge 45:43 - Constituents of Sufi practice 49:13 - Group practice 52:49 - 7 stages of wisdom 58:00 - Bliss and tranquility 59:50 - Dark night of the soul 01:02:05 - The role of the teacher and transmission 01:06:16 - Siddhi and spiritual progress 01:08:30 - Human completeness and going beyond union with God 01:11:36 - Effects of success in Sufi practice 01:14:26 - Sufi views on death and the afterlife 01:17:07 - The future of Sufism in the West 01:22:07 - Islam’s critique of secularism 01:23:54 - Dogma vs spiritual potency 01:27:27 - Unprecedented challenges facing humanity today 01:29:34 - A Sufi response? 01:31:54 - Importance of direct experience … Previous episode with Dr Yannis Toussulis: - https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep179-adventures-of-a-sufi-mystic-dr-yannis-toussulis … To find our more about Dr Yannis Toussulis, visit: - http://www.itlaqfoundation.com/ For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - https://www.guruviking.com Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

In this episode I am once again joined by Dr Evan Thompson: Professor of Philosophy at the University of British Columbia, an Associate Member of the Department of Asian Studies and the Department of Psychology, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.
 Dr Thompson discusses his 2014 book ‘Waking, Dreaming, Being’ and takes a deep dive into the self from the point of view of the world’s contemplative traditions as well as neuroscience and philosophy of mind. Dr Thompson shares his life-long fasciation with the way in which consciousness and the sense of self change across different phases of the wake-sleep cycle, and challenges claims that insight into the self is a means to eliminate suffering and attain enlightenment. Dr Thompson reveals his own deep practice of meditation, lucid dreaming, Tai Chi and Chinese energy arts, and explains how he, as both a trained skeptical philosopher and as a dedicated practitioner, approaches the religious framing of practice and related concepts such as ‘chi’ and ‘enlightenment’. Dr Thompson also answers Youtube comments about our previous interview, including a clarification of his critique of Buddhist exceptionalism and a response to Buddhists who feel his work threatens their religious affiliation. …

 Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep193-waking-dreaming-being-dr-evan-thompson 
Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics include: 00:00 - Intro 01:30 - Answering Youtube comments 02:14 - ‘Why I Am Not A Buddhist’ and Bertrand Russel 04:59 - What would Bertrand Russel target today? 06:18 - The non-aligned mystic 08:15 - Does Evan meditate? 10:13 - Evan’s extensive daily qigong and tai chi practice 11:55 - Retreat practice and states of high concentration 13:00 - Why does Evan practice so diligently? 13:15 - How does Evan think about ‘chi’? 17:35 - Traps in understanding of chi 18:24 - Why does Evan still meditate if he is not a Buddhist? 20:11 - Evan’s critiques of the doctrinal framing of practices 22:25 - Response to Buddhists who are threatened by Evan’s work 25:43 - Waking, Dreaming, Being 27:28 - Fascination with how consciousness alters across the sleep-wake cycle 28:11 - Evan reflects on ‘Waking, Dreaming, Being’ 29:58 - How Evan’s views on practice have evolved 31:12 - The sense of self and the experience of consciousness 32:20 - Awareness, contents of awareness, and sense of self 34:21 - Self construction in imagination, memory, and lucid dreaming 37:03 - 1st person vs 3rd person memory 38:23 - View/field dreams vs outside dreams 39:11 - The self experience in lucid dreaming and OBE’s 41:12 - Evan’s lucid dreaming practice 42:38 - Meeting the Dalai Lama and beginning to lucid dream 44:50 - The curriculum of lucid dreaming in Tibetan Buddhism 46:09 - Meditating in the dream state and Alan Wallace’s advice 48:37 - Walking through walls and transforming the dream 49:39 - Evan’s powerful tai chi dreams 50:06 - Variation in lucid dreaming talent 51:07 - What constitutes the sense of self? 52:51 - How does the self complex arise? 54:56 - Metacognition 55:33 - Mindfulness rides on social cognitive capacities 56:40 - Self understanding and claims of liberation 59:10 - The value of the Buddhist view of self 01:01:54 - The claim that insight into self reduces suffering is naive 01:04:12 - How to make the world a better place 01:04:49 - Social is crucial 01:05:57 - Hermit is a social category 01:06:31 - Recognising the value of meditation in a social context 01:09:27 - Vasubandu vs Candrakirti and Metzinger vs Thompson 01:12:32 - Evan’s upcoming projects 01:14:22 - Dying, our ultimate transformation … Previous episode with Evan Thompson: - www.guruviking.com/podcast/158-why-i-am-not-a-buddhist-evan-thompson … To find out more about Evan Thompson, visit: - https://evanthompson.me/ For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - www.guruviking.com Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James